streitbarer Zwinglianer

More on The Bible and its Readers: Of Christians…

A LifeWay Research Study found that while the majority of churchgoers desire to honor Christ and even profess to meditate on biblical truths, few actually engage in personal Bible reading and the study of Scriptures. Forty percent of those surveyed claim to read their Bibles less than once a month, with 18% claiming rarely or never. Only 19% shared that they read the Bible every day.

That’s pretty awful. So do something about it. And if, might I add, you have problems understanding parts, I’d love to help. Seriously. So because I want to help, seriously, I’m offering the complete commentary (written by me) on the Bible (in PDF) for only $100. Prepay here, include your email address, and I will send the commentary. Readers of it have this to say:

The commentary on the Bible by Jim West, a theologian who is lecturer in Biblical and Reformation Studies at Ming Hua Theological College in Hong Kong and is also Pastor of a Baptist Church in Petros, Tennessee, explains every chapter from Genesis to Revelation to “the person in the pew”: the ordinary member of a church, who, when reading the Bible, encounters a desperately foreign culture and therefore needs some guidance to understand it.

West’s approach is straightforward: he offers the Bible in a translation (American Standard Version) and interrupts the narrative every now and then to explain a couple of verses. His comments are aimed “at English speaking and reading members of the community of faith”: in other words, he makes the ancient texts accessible for believers.

As a pastor, West has an additional task: he needs to present the text in such a way that the faithful can use the Bible as a guideline. As I said, West’s approach is straightforward. The fact that he succeeds is encouraging for everyone who thinks that the study of ancient texts is meaningful.

I am no theologian and cannot judge the theological merits, but I can say that it is a pleasant read. I am currently reading a text I know quite well, Daniel, and West has pointed out many aspects I had not recognized before. The PDFs of West’s Commentary for the Person in the Pew are on my tablet, allowing me to go through the entire Bible when my train is delayed or has been cancelled. Given the quality of Dutch public transport I expect to have renewed my encounter with the Bible within a few months. – Jona Lendering